Basil

[Newbie]

Hello

In my enthusiasm i seem to have an abundance of basil plants, there is only so much we can use on a day to day basis & i don't really want to dry it. I have also given quite a few away! Does anyone have any recipes / ideas for making the most of it. i quite fancy basil pesto but am unsure how long this would keep in a jar in the fridge.

All suggestions welcomed

[Kristen]

I'm going to sow mine later. I have 5 x 5" pots with 3 plants in each, and we've only cut one of them down to half. Now the tomatoes are getting under way we will do better, but the other 4 plants are 2' high

Normally I struggle to have pots that are "coming on" as the Galley demands them!

Anyways, I'm going to but mine down by half so they shoot and come-again

[zanussi101]

I'm pretty sure you can freeze pesto- I seem to remember doing so in a kitchen i worked at a while ago when it was on special offer...
I've made basil oil this year, although a lot of websites advise you not to as there may be bacteria on the leaves which can be dangerous- i only make small amounts that I use quite quickly.

[lzyjo]

Both basil and pesto can be frozen. It should store for a least a few days in the fridge with a layer of oil on top.

[Waffler]

We had our first batch of home-grown pesto this week and it was delish! I'm doing my best to keep a constant supply of basil going this year because I love decent pesto and the good stuff costs a bit to buy.
I have made it in the past and frozen it and it's been fine. As Izyjo says, it also keeps better in the fridge with a layer of oil on top.

[Newbie]

thanks guys, what basil pesto recipes do you use?

[wellie]

It's best to make the Basil Pesto recipe WITHOUT the Pine Nuts if you're going to freeze it, as the nuts may go rancid after a time. Trousers and I are still wading through Pesto I froze donkeys' years ago (don't take me literally on this kiddies, or people will never grace us with their company to dine at Holly Cottage ever again!).

Also, Basil Oil is still in use. I LOVE to cook with Basil Oil.....

AND, allegedly (really really wish I'd read this fascinating fact LAST week) if you rub Basil leaves on your skin, it deters Mosquitos? Trousers and I have a Water Feature below the open bedroom window, and I have been bitten to bu@@ery over the last fortnight. (See Wellie go 'Ouch!'....?)

Okay, here's a Pesto Sauce recipe I use:

Take some fresh basil leaves, enough to fill a cup (you can also use rocket or flatleaf parsley if you have a profusion of either, or combine them with the basil), and put them in a blender with a few garlic cloves and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add a good handful of roasted pine nuts and another of grated Parmesan cheese with a bit of salt, and blend.

A tip for you Basil-growers that don't yet know this:

Keep pinching out the growing tips of Basil plants, so as to keep them bushy, and don't let them flower.

Happy Growing!

[kentvegplot]

Agree with Wellie, make the pesto but leave out the nuts. Freeze. Still using the pesto I made last year - make it in small enough batches so you can take out just enough for dinner for 2/4/6 etc

[Two_Sheds]

Basil Pesto

Basil pesto

serves 4

100g of basil
4 cloves of garlic

Put in food processor, blend to a paste

Add salt to taste
A pinch of pepper
60g of pine kernels
100-150ml of extra virgin olive
and, if you're greedy, 50g of parmesan

Blend again.
To store the pesto, pour into a jar, float a layer of olive oil on top, cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

[Two_Sheds]

Pesto & broad bean pasta

Pesto and broad bean pasta

serves 4

200g Pasta
Serving of basil pesto
200g of broad beans
Two 125g balls of mozzarella (I prefer Feta)

Cook the pasta, drain and add the pesto and stir through. Add the broad beans, stir in chunks of mozzarella until they start to melt. Season with salt and pepper Seasonal eating recipes: lots of basil, please | Word of Mouth | guardian.co.uk